HYUNDAI INSTER

Quirky, well-equipped little EV seeks to eat the Renault 5's lunch

-  SAM PHILLIPS

Small electric cars are all the rage at the moment, and the latest newcomer to the UK is the Hyundai Inster. Our first taste of the brand's smallest EV came last November in its native South Korea; now we've sampled it in right-hand-drive form to see how it stacks up against the Citroën ë-C3, Renault 5 and more.

The Inster is loosely based on the petrol-engined Hyundai Casper that has been sold in Korea since 2021, but its platform has been stretched and overhauled to accommodate a battery and an electric motor. Despite this, it measures only 3.8m in length and 1.6m wide, making the car shorter and narrower than its French rivals. And the Inster's compact dimensions have been cleverly disguised by chunky wheel arches and short overhangs that give it a pseudo-SUV aesthetic.

Three trims and two battery options are available.

The Standard Range model is powered by a 42kWh battery and 95bhp front-mounted electric motor for a 203-mile range, while the Long Range model gets a larger, 49kWh battery and a 113bhp motor for a 229-mile range.

Entry-level 01 trim starts from £23,495, and while that makes the Inster some £1500 dearer than the ë-C3, it gets a lot more standard kit, including a heat pump, a pair of 10.25in digital displays for the infotainment and instruments and adaptive cruise control.